As President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. prepares to depart for his state visit to India, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) underscored the far-reaching strategic value of the trip, which is expected to open new avenues for cooperation across multiple sectors.
In a press briefing on Friday, DFA Assistant Secretary Evangeline T. Ong Jimenez-Ducrocq said the visit will advance shared priorities in defense and maritime cooperation, trade and investment, science and technology, and cultural exchange.
On the potential outcomes of the state visit, Jimenez-Ducrocq confirmed that several bilateral agreements are lined up for signing. These agreements span cooperation in law, culture, science, and technology, among other fields.
“The areas of cooperation actually are very wide-ranging. But we look forward to expanding them even more. We have, I think, upwards of six agreements to be concluded. And though the working day is not yet over, we expect more to come on line,” Jimenez-Ducrocq said.
The DFA official also pointed to existing maritime cooperation efforts with India and emphasized the goal of expanding this collaboration further.
“Part of our ongoing relationship in India is in maritime cooperation activities. So, we look forward to deepening these relationships and expanding our areas of cooperation,” Jimenez-Ducrocq said.
The DFA official said that while discussions for the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement have already been concluded, the Philippines hopes to enter into a bilateral trade agreement with India.
The President’s business-focused engagements, particularly in Bangalore, signal growing interest from Indian companies in investing in the Philippines, the DFA official said.
“I think a number of the companies have already made some investments in the Philippines, and so we’re looking to expand these investments from the same companies or to reach out to new companies,” Jimenez-Ducrocq said.
Jimenez-Ducrocq expressed optimism that the visit could lay the groundwork for stronger ICT and technology sector linkages.
“Bangalore is India’s Silicon Valley, and as you know, in ICT, in technology, they are quite strong. So, we’re hoping to establish better connections, especially for the private sector,” Jimenez-Ducrocq said. | PND
